AND THE WINNERS ARE…FROM LEEDS!

A team from Bupa Care Services, based in Horsforth, Leeds, has been honoured at the first Marketing Society Northern Awards 2010, for their innovative work in helping care home residents connect with the community. The marketing professionals from Bupa Care Services, supported by Leeds-based agency Source Marketing Communications, won the top award in the Health Sciences, Pharmaceuticals and Consumer Health Care category. The team devised a series of four unique events to engage residents living in Bupa’s care homes across the country. The aim of the events is to provide stimulating activities, which can be tailored to suit the differing capabilities of residents, and which their relatives and friends can participate in, as well as the local community. The Big Four events (Communi-tea Week, Community Crops, World Cruise and Bupa Wants Talent) proved to be a huge success, with almost 2000 external guests attending the events and impressive customer satisfaction results reflecting the popularity of the events with relatives and residents. Louise Wilson, Head of Sales and Marketing for Bupa Care Services, said: “We are thrilled to receive this award from a panel of elite marketers, but are equally excited that our events have been so well received by our residents, relatives and their local communities. “We take pride in the range and quality of activities we offer at Bupa. We’ve been able to build on our 2009 success by developing even more innovative events and increasing The Big Four to The Big 12 this year. So far our monthly events are going amazingly well and we hope to be back to claim the trophy again next year!” Bupa Care Services was one of nine winners from the Yorkshire region and won the category against some strong competition from Asda, NHS teams and SSL International. The Marketing Society Northern Awards 2010 recognise and reward marketing excellence within the North. They were launched to capture and showcase the energy, creativity and achievement of the marketing talent in the North; talent which collectively across the North controls marketing expenditure well in excess of £1 billion. The judges from Saatchi and Saatchi, eBay, Barnardos and The Marketing Society looked for projects where the nominees could demonstrate the objectives and evaluation of marketing projects which made an impact on the business and industry as a whole. The Awards ceremony took place at the Hilton Hotel on Deansgate in Manchester on Thursday 1 July 2010 and was the largest gathering of senior marketers seen in the North for many years. Notes to Editor Picture shows: Bupa care home residents and Bernie Clifton join in the fun of Bupa Wants Talent. To showcase residents’ various skills and talents, and to mark the occasion in a fun and light-hearted way, all of our homes held mini talent shows.